Ex on the Beach and Love Island stars were at the charity auction for New Hope Animal Rescue

Just some of the thousands of animals taken in by New Hope Animal Rescue

Thousands of pounds has been raised for an animal charity currently sheltering dozens of animals at an Abbey Wood home.

New Hope Animal Rescue takes in hundreds of animals each year, keeping them in kennels or at founder Niall Lester’s house.

But with the charity running out of space, supporters came together to help sponsor the charity’s move to a new space in Kent.

Mr Lester started off saving wounded pigeons when he was 13-years-old, now 35, the animal lover has dedicated his life to helping animals at risk of being put down.

Niall Lester together with event organiser Laura Price

Says the animal welfare officer at Dartford council: “We’ve started to run out of space now, we spend most of our days running back and forth from the kennels to home.

“Not only that, but I also have a full time job, because I refuse to earn a salary out of doing this, I spend some of my own money on things like telephone bills for our drivers.

“We’re in the process of buying seven acres of land in Herne Bay, its enough space for all of the animals we shelter, that includes strays we take from the council, otherwise they’d euthanised.”

Event organiser Laura Price stepped in to help raise funds for the move, pulling together connections from the celebrity world, including Love Island’s Amelia Peters, and local businesses.

“The whole evening was amazing,” said Ms Price “Everyone had such a great time and if all the money comes in then we’ve managed to raise £5,000.

“The work Niall does is amazing and there are so many people and businesses I’d like to thank who came forward to help out.”

A golden glove worn by world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua proved the top seller of the night, bringing in £700 at auction after it was donated by Nikolas Patrick Jewellers, based in both Chislehurst and Bexleyheath.

Elsewhere Ex on the Beach star Dean Ralph was auctioned off for £370, tickets for a box at Arsenal v Huddersfield went for £600 and top-quality hair extensions donated by Tag Hair in Bexley were sold to singer Mercedes Petra Forde for £300.

Christmas 2018 and the Northern Lights are welcomed to Bexleyheath on Saturday, November 17 with a spectacular mix of music and dance from stilt walkers to bhangra dancers, and acoustic artists to fire shows.